March 2014

March

Petra, capital city of the ancient Nabataean people, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. With its monumental structures, temples, royal tombs and luxurious villas all hewn from the red rock, Petra is among the world’s finest in cultural history and archaeology.The exhibition displays over 150 archaeological and architectonic highlights from Petra, showing you the most stunning locations in the city. The siq, a narrow canyon, gives way to the city. Inside, we find buildings such as sanctuaries, villas, the treasury of al-Khazneh and a luxurious residence, all built on the slopes of the Umm al-Biyara massif. The exhibition’s displays exude the atmosphere of the awe-inspiring ruins and the desert to introduce visitors to the Nabataeans and their architecture, culture, art and religion. Never before have so many objects from Petra been on display in The Netherlands.

March

Longing for Mecca - the journey of the pilgrimExhibition Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden

'Longing for Mecca – the journey of the pilgrim' is the first extensive exhibition devoted to the subject of Hajj in the Netherlands. For a quarter of the world’s population, Mecca is the place you must have been once in the course of your life. Believers from all over the world head off to the holy city to pray every day, and millions set off each year on the true pilgrimage to Mecca. For many hundreds of years, this has been a spiritual ideal. Mecca, a city that is only open to Muslim believers, has grown into a mysterious phenomenon. Today there are close to one million Muslims living in the Netherlands, for whom the pilgrimage to Mecca is a very important ritual within their religion. The Netherlands is a culturally diverse society in which Islam is taking a prominent role in the lives of many. Therefore Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde aims to provide a polyphone image on Hajj and Islam to create understanding and respect. We want our visitors (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to experience the exhibition as an impressive personal journey, both spiritually and religiously, in order to provide them with an accurate and image of the meaning of this tradition.

March

Excellence and Dignity - 400 Years of Arabic Studies in the NetherlandsExhibition Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

This exhibition on 400 years of Arabic studies in the Netherlands is organized in cooperation with Leiden University Libraries and the Academisch Historisch Museum, Leiden. It sketches the history of a scholarly tradition at the hand of the portraits of mainly Leiden professors of Arabic and their legacy. Many rare books, prints and manuscripts will be on view.

In May 2013 it was 400 years ago that the first professor of Arabic at Leiden, Thomas Erpenius (1584–1624), gave his inaugural speech on the ‘Excellence and Dignity of the Arabic Language’. Arabic studies at Leiden are a deeply rooted tradition that enjoys worldwide fame with scholars such as Scaliger, Erpenius, Golius, De Goeje and Snouck Hurgronje.

Behind the Leiden professors and the university there was a full fledged local infrastructure of Oriental printers such as Elzevier and Brill, booksellers and auctioneers.

Arabic studies at Leiden aptly symbolize the view of the ‘other’ over the centuries, and they testify to the cosmopolitan curiosity of scholars in search of the exotic world of Islam.

February 2014

February

Petra, capital city of the ancient Nabataean people, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. With its monumental structures, temples, royal tombs and luxurious villas all hewn from the red rock, Petra is among the world’s finest in cultural history and archaeology.The exhibition displays over 150 archaeological and architectonic highlights from Petra, showing you the most stunning locations in the city. The siq, a narrow canyon, gives way to the city. Inside, we find buildings such as sanctuaries, villas, the treasury of al-Khazneh and a luxurious residence, all built on the slopes of the Umm al-Biyara massif. The exhibition’s displays exude the atmosphere of the awe-inspiring ruins and the desert to introduce visitors to the Nabataeans and their architecture, culture, art and religion. Never before have so many objects from Petra been on display in The Netherlands.

February

Longing for Mecca - the journey of the pilgrimExhibition Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden

'Longing for Mecca – the journey of the pilgrim' is the first extensive exhibition devoted to the subject of Hajj in the Netherlands. For a quarter of the world’s population, Mecca is the place you must have been once in the course of your life. Believers from all over the world head off to the holy city to pray every day, and millions set off each year on the true pilgrimage to Mecca. For many hundreds of years, this has been a spiritual ideal. Mecca, a city that is only open to Muslim believers, has grown into a mysterious phenomenon. Today there are close to one million Muslims living in the Netherlands, for whom the pilgrimage to Mecca is a very important ritual within their religion. The Netherlands is a culturally diverse society in which Islam is taking a prominent role in the lives of many. Therefore Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde aims to provide a polyphone image on Hajj and Islam to create understanding and respect. We want our visitors (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to experience the exhibition as an impressive personal journey, both spiritually and religiously, in order to provide them with an accurate and image of the meaning of this tradition.

February

Excellency and Dignity - 400 Years of Arabic Studies in the NetherlandsExhibition Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

This exhibition on 400 years of Arabic studies in the Netherlands is organized in cooperation with Leiden University Libraries and the Academisch Historisch Museum, Leiden. It sketches the history of a scholarly tradition at the hand of the portraits of mainly Leiden professors of Arabic and their legacy. Many rare books, prints and manuscripts will be on view.

In May 2013 it was 400 years ago that the first professor of Arabic at Leiden, Thomas Erpenius (1584–1624), gave his inaugural speech on the ‘Excellence and Dignity of the Arabic Language’. Arabic studies at Leiden are a deeply rooted tradition that enjoys worldwide fame with scholars such as Scaliger, Erpenius, Golius, De Goeje and Snouck Hurgronje.

Behind the Leiden professors and the university there was a full fledged local infrastructure of Oriental printers such as Elzevier and Brill, booksellers and auctioneers.

Arabic studies at Leiden aptly symbolize the view of the ‘other’ over the centuries, and they testify to the cosmopolitan curiosity of scholars in search of the exotic world of Islam.

January 2014

January

Petra, capital city of the ancient Nabataean people, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. With its monumental structures, temples, royal tombs and luxurious villas all hewn from the red rock, Petra is among the world’s finest in cultural history and archaeology.The exhibition displays over 150 archaeological and architectonic highlights from Petra, showing you the most stunning locations in the city. The siq, a narrow canyon, gives way to the city. Inside, we find buildings such as sanctuaries, villas, the treasury of al-Khazneh and a luxurious residence, all built on the slopes of the Umm al-Biyara massif. The exhibition’s displays exude the atmosphere of the awe-inspiring ruins and the desert to introduce visitors to the Nabataeans and their architecture, culture, art and religion. Never before have so many objects from Petra been on display in The Netherlands.

January

Longing for Mecca - the journey of the pilgrimExhibition Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden

'Longing for Mecca – the journey of the pilgrim' is the first extensive exhibition devoted to the subject of Hajj in the Netherlands. For a quarter of the world’s population, Mecca is the place you must have been once in the course of your life. Believers from all over the world head off to the holy city to pray every day, and millions set off each year on the true pilgrimage to Mecca. For many hundreds of years, this has been a spiritual ideal. Mecca, a city that is only open to Muslim believers, has grown into a mysterious phenomenon. Today there are close to one million Muslims living in the Netherlands, for whom the pilgrimage to Mecca is a very important ritual within their religion. The Netherlands is a culturally diverse society in which Islam is taking a prominent role in the lives of many. Therefore Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde aims to provide a polyphone image on Hajj and Islam to create understanding and respect. We want our visitors (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to experience the exhibition as an impressive personal journey, both spiritually and religiously, in order to provide them with an accurate and image of the meaning of this tradition.

January

Excellence and Dignity - 400 Years of Arabic Studies in the NetherlandsExhibition Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

This exhibition on 400 years of Arabic studies in the Netherlands is organized in cooperation with Leiden University Libraries and the Academisch Historisch Museum, Leiden. It sketches the history of a scholarly tradition at the hand of the portraits of mainly Leiden professors of Arabic and their legacy. Many rare books, prints and manuscripts will be on view.

In May 2013 it was 400 years ago that the first professor of Arabic at Leiden, Thomas Erpenius (1584–1624), gave his inaugural speech on the ‘Excellence and Dignity of the Arabic Language’. Arabic studies at Leiden are a deeply rooted tradition that enjoys worldwide fame with scholars such as Scaliger, Erpenius, Golius, De Goeje and Snouck Hurgronje.

Behind the Leiden professors and the university there was a full fledged local infrastructure of Oriental printers such as Elzevier and Brill, booksellers and auctioneers.

Arabic studies at Leiden aptly symbolize the view of the ‘other’ over the centuries, and they testify to the cosmopolitan curiosity of scholars in search of the exotic world of Islam.

December 2013

December

Petra, capital city of the ancient Nabataean people, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. With its monumental structures, temples, royal tombs and luxurious villas all hewn from the red rock, Petra is among the world’s finest in cultural history and archaeology.The exhibition displays over 150 archaeological and architectonic highlights from Petra, showing you the most stunning locations in the city. The siq, a narrow canyon, gives way to the city. Inside, we find buildings such as sanctuaries, villas, the treasury of al-Khazneh and a luxurious residence, all built on the slopes of the Umm al-Biyara massif. The exhibition’s displays exude the atmosphere of the awe-inspiring ruins and the desert to introduce visitors to the Nabataeans and their architecture, culture, art and religion. Never before have so many objects from Petra been on display in The Netherlands.

December

Longing for Mecca - the journey of the pilgrimExhibition Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden

'Longing for Mecca – the journey of the pilgrim' is the first extensive exhibition devoted to the subject of Hajj in the Netherlands. For a quarter of the world’s population, Mecca is the place you must have been once in the course of your life. Believers from all over the world head off to the holy city to pray every day, and millions set off each year on the true pilgrimage to Mecca. For many hundreds of years, this has been a spiritual ideal. Mecca, a city that is only open to Muslim believers, has grown into a mysterious phenomenon. Today there are close to one million Muslims living in the Netherlands, for whom the pilgrimage to Mecca is a very important ritual within their religion. The Netherlands is a culturally diverse society in which Islam is taking a prominent role in the lives of many. Therefore Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde aims to provide a polyphone image on Hajj and Islam to create understanding and respect. We want our visitors (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to experience the exhibition as an impressive personal journey, both spiritually and religiously, in order to provide them with an accurate and image of the meaning of this tradition.

December

Excellence and Dignity - 400 Years of Arabic Studies in the NetherlandsExhibition Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

This exhibition on 400 years of Arabic studies in the Netherlands is organized in cooperation with Leiden University Libraries and the Academisch Historisch Museum, Leiden. It sketches the history of a scholarly tradition at the hand of the portraits of mainly Leiden professors of Arabic and their legacy. Many rare books, prints and manuscripts will be on view.

In May 2013 it was 400 years ago that the first professor of Arabic at Leiden, Thomas Erpenius (1584–1624), gave his inaugural speech on the ‘Excellence and Dignity of the Arabic Language’. Arabic studies at Leiden are a deeply rooted tradition that enjoys worldwide fame with scholars such as Scaliger, Erpenius, Golius, De Goeje and Snouck Hurgronje.

Behind the Leiden professors and the university there was a full fledged local infrastructure of Oriental printers such as Elzevier and Brill, booksellers and auctioneers.

Arabic studies at Leiden aptly symbolize the view of the ‘other’ over the centuries, and they testify to the cosmopolitan curiosity of scholars in search of the exotic world of Islam.

14 December

Salon Joussourconcert

Salon Joussour introduces Arabic music to a culturally interested audience of all backgrounds, as well as musicians and artists in the Netherlands. Through a short lecture led by a master musician from the Arab world, followed by a concert, we aim to unlock the essence of the Arab art. Salon Joussour also aims to craft a bridge bonding Western and Arabic music by connecting renowned Dutch musicians (e.g. Tony Overwater and Rembrandt Friedrichs) with Arab guests in a musical collaboration.

This concert is organised by Leiden University and Rijksmuseum van Oudheden and will be held in the museum's central hall, in front of the beautiful Temple of Taffeh.

November 2013

November

Petra, capital city of the ancient Nabataean people, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. With its monumental structures, temples, royal tombs and luxurious villas all hewn from the red rock, Petra is among the world’s finest in cultural history and archaeology.The exhibition displays over 150 archaeological and architectonic highlights from Petra, showing you the most stunning locations in the city. The siq, a narrow canyon, gives way to the city. Inside, we find buildings such as sanctuaries, villas, the treasury of al-Khazneh and a luxurious residence, all built on the slopes of the Umm al-Biyara massif. The exhibition’s displays exude the atmosphere of the awe-inspiring ruins and the desert to introduce visitors to the Nabataeans and their architecture, culture, art and religion. Never before have so many objects from Petra been on display in The Netherlands.

November

Longing for Mecca - the journey of the pilgrimExhibition Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden

'Longing for Mecca – the journey of the pilgrim' is the first extensive exhibition devoted to the subject of Hajj in the Netherlands. For a quarter of the world’s population, Mecca is the place you must have been once in the course of your life. Believers from all over the world head off to the holy city to pray every day, and millions set off each year on the true pilgrimage to Mecca. For many hundreds of years, this has been a spiritual ideal. Mecca, a city that is only open to Muslim believers, has grown into a mysterious phenomenon. Today there are close to one million Muslims living in the Netherlands, for whom the pilgrimage to Mecca is a very important ritual within their religion. The Netherlands is a culturally diverse society in which Islam is taking a prominent role in the lives of many. Therefore Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde aims to provide a polyphone image on Hajj and Islam to create understanding and respect. We want our visitors (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to experience the exhibition as an impressive personal journey, both spiritually and religiously, in order to provide them with an accurate and image of the meaning of this tradition.

November

Excellence and Dignity - 400 Years of Arabic Studies in the NetherlandsExhibition Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

This exhibition on 400 years of Arabic studies in the Netherlands is organized in cooperation with Leiden University Libraries and the Academisch Historisch Museum, Leiden. It sketches the history of a scholarly tradition at the hand of the portraits of mainly Leiden professors of Arabic and their legacy. Many rare books, prints and manuscripts will be on view.

In May 2013 it was 400 years ago that the first professor of Arabic at Leiden, Thomas Erpenius (1584–1624), gave his inaugural speech on the ‘Excellence and Dignity of the Arabic Language’. Arabic studies at Leiden are a deeply rooted tradition that enjoys worldwide fame with scholars such as Scaliger, Erpenius, Golius, De Goeje and Snouck Hurgronje.

Behind the Leiden professors and the university there was a full fledged local infrastructure of Oriental printers such as Elzevier and Brill, booksellers and auctioneers.

Arabic studies at Leiden aptly symbolize the view of the ‘other’ over the centuries, and they testify to the cosmopolitan curiosity of scholars in search of the exotic world of Islam.

The exhibition is part of the European project ‘Cultural Encounters,’ initiated by the academic partnership ‘Humanities in the European Research Area’ (HERA).

28/29 November

On 28 and 29 November, the National Museum of Ethnicity in Leiden is hosting an international symposium on the occasion of the exhibition Longing for Mecca: the Pilgrim’s Journey.The symposium starts with a reflection on the ‘Theory & Practice’ of the pilgrimage to Mecca from religious, anthropological, and material culture perspectives. This introductory session will contextualize two subsequent sessions: one involving case-studies concerning global interchange and interactions in material culture spurred by the Hajj, like the production of the kiswa (the textile covering the Ka’ba), pilgrim’s certificates and Hajj wall-paintings. Another session will be dedicated to case studies concerning transnational & local, social & political dimensions of the Hajj as well as issues concerning the meanings of pilgrimage for the religious lives and identity politics for individuals. The symposium will be concluded by an in-depth on-stage interview with two Dutch Hajjis and the 3rd Adrian Gerbrands lecture by Finbarr Barry Flood (New York University) on 29 November.

16 November

The Learning and Teaching of Arabic in Early Modern EuropeOne-day Conference at Rijksmuseum van Oudheden

This international symposium will explore and celebrate the methods, the scholarly significance and the institutional background of Arabic teaching and learning at early modern European academies and universities. Two keynote lectures on the Learning of Arabic in the Netherlands and in England will frame a series of presentations by leading authorities in the history of European Arabic studies.

5-6 November

Films of Change from the Middle Eastat Leiden International Film Festival

In 2006, the Leiden International Film Festival (LIFF) started as an initiative of four friends to improve cinematic offerings in Leiden. In seven years, the festival has grown to be an annual event with 27.500 visitors and a strong place on the Dutch festival circuit. From the very start of the festival, the focus of the LIFF has been on films which examine the border between art-house and mainstream. We are excited to announce that the 8th edition of the Leiden International Film Festival will feature a mini Arab film festival showing 4 movies from the Middle East by prize winning directors.

2-3 November

Arabic in Contextcongress at Leiden University

The year 2013 marks the 400th anniversary of Leiden’s chair in Arabic Language and Culture. To celebrate this memorable event, the Leiden Institute for Area Studies and the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics will convene a congress that will bring together Arabicists, Semiticists, historians, and epigraphists to discuss original research on the pre- and early history of Arabic.

1 November

Launch 'Cityguide through Islamic Leiden' & Arabic wall poem

Leiden is full of memorabilia from it's long and interesting history of the study of Arabic, the Islam and its dealings with the Middle East. These are easily spotted, as long as one knows where to look. Leiden specialists in the field of Arabic and Islamic history, language and culture created a city tour, introducing you to traces of dealings with the Middle East since the late 16th century. Brill Publishers and Leiden University are happy to officially present the beautifully bound an illustrated version of this tour today.

Leiden University will also use this occasion to unveil a new, Arabic (of course) wall poem. Stichting TEGEN-BEELD is currently preparing a Leiden wall for painting this wonderful addition to an already great oeuvre of wall poems.

October 2013

October

Longing for Mecca - the journey of the pilgrimExhibition Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden

'Longing for Mecca – the journey of the pilgrim' is the first extensive exhibition devoted to the subject of Hajj in the Netherlands. For a quarter of the world’s population, Mecca is the place you must have been once in the course of your life. Believers from all over the world head off to the holy city to pray every day, and millions set off each year on the true pilgrimage to Mecca. For many hundreds of years, this has been a spiritual ideal. Mecca, a city that is only open to Muslim believers, has grown into a mysterious phenomenon. Today there are close to one million Muslims living in the Netherlands, for whom the pilgrimage to Mecca is a very important ritual within their religion. The Netherlands is a culturally diverse society in which Islam is taking a prominent role in the lives of many. Therefore Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde aims to provide a polyphone image on Hajj and Islam to create understanding and respect. We want our visitors (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to experience the exhibition as an impressive personal journey, both spiritually and religiously, in order to provide them with an accurate and image of the meaning of this tradition.

October

Excellence and Dignity - 400 Years of Arabic Studies in the NetherlandsExhibition Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

This exhibition on 400 years of Arabic studies in the Netherlands is organized in cooperation with Leiden University Libraries and the Academisch Historisch Museum, Leiden. It sketches the history of a scholarly tradition at the hand of the portraits of mainly Leiden professors of Arabic and their legacy. Many rare books, prints and manuscripts will be on view.

In May 2013 it was 400 years ago that the first professor of Arabic at Leiden, Thomas Erpenius (1584–1624), gave his inaugural speech on the ‘Excellence and Dignity of the Arabic Language’. Arabic studies at Leiden are a deeply rooted tradition that enjoys worldwide fame with scholars such as Scaliger, Erpenius, Golius, De Goeje and Snouck Hurgronje.

Behind the Leiden professors and the university there was a full fledged local infrastructure of Oriental printers such as Elzevier and Brill, booksellers and auctioneers.

Arabic studies at Leiden aptly symbolize the view of the ‘other’ over the centuries, and they testify to the cosmopolitan curiosity of scholars in search of the exotic world of Islam.

October

Petra, capital city of the ancient Nabataean people, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. With its monumental structures, temples, royal tombs and luxurious villas all hewn from the red rock, Petra is among the world’s finest in cultural history and archaeology.The exhibition displays over 150 archaeological and architectonic highlights from Petra, showing you the most stunning locations in the city. The siq, a narrow canyon, gives way to the city. Inside, we find buildings such as sanctuaries, villas, the treasury of al-Khazneh and a luxurious residence, all built on the slopes of the Umm al-Biyara massif. The exhibition’s displays exude the atmosphere of the awe-inspiring ruins and the desert to introduce visitors to the Nabataeans and their architecture, culture, art and religion. Never before have so many objects from Petra been on display in The Netherlands.

19/20 October

Arabic Culture Weekendmusic, tales from '1001 Nights', workshops and more

Leiden University and Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde invite you to a weekend filled with Arabic language and culture.Sit yourself down on a comfortable cushion in our Arabic tent, have some tea and a snack and listen to Arabic music, a tale from '1001 Nights' or the ins and outs of Middle Eastern hiphop.You can also participate in speed courses of Arabic by Leiden University students, get a henna tattoo and do or learn much, much more.

September 2013

September

Longing for Mecca - the journey of the pilgrimExhibition Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde, Leiden

'Longing for Mecca – the journey of the pilgrim' is the first extensive exhibition devoted to the subject of Hajj in the Netherlands. For a quarter of the world’s population, Mecca is the place you must have been once in the course of your life. Believers from all over the world head off to the holy city to pray every day, and millions set off each year on the true pilgrimage to Mecca. For many hundreds of years, this has been a spiritual ideal. Mecca, a city that is only open to Muslim believers, has grown into a mysterious phenomenon. Today there are close to one million Muslims living in the Netherlands, for whom the pilgrimage to Mecca is a very important ritual within their religion. The Netherlands is a culturally diverse society in which Islam is taking a prominent role in the lives of many. Therefore Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde aims to provide a polyphone image on Hajj and Islam to create understanding and respect. We want our visitors (Muslim and Non-Muslim) to experience the exhibition as an impressive personal journey, both spiritually and religiously, in order to provide them with an accurate and image of the meaning of this tradition.

September

Excellence and Dignity- 400 Years of Arabic Studies in the Netherlands Exhibition Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

This exhibition on 400 years of Arabic studies in the Netherlands is organized in cooperation with Leiden University Libraries and the Academisch Historisch Museum, Leiden. It sketches the history of a scholarly tradition at the hand of the portraits of mainly Leiden professors of Arabic and their legacy. Many rare books, prints and manuscripts will be on view. In May 2013 it was 400 years ago that the first professor of Arabic at Leiden, Thomas Erpenius (1584–1624), gave his inaugural speech on the ‘Excellence and Dignity of the Arabic Language’. Arabic studies at Leiden are a deeply rooted tradition that enjoys worldwide fame with scholars such as Scaliger, Erpenius, Golius, De Goeje and Snouck Hurgronje. Behind the Leiden professors and the university there was a full fledged local infrastructure of Oriental printers such as Elzevier and Brill, booksellers and auctioneers. Arabic studies at Leiden aptly symbolize the view of the ‘other’ over the centuries, and they testify to the cosmopolitan curiosity of scholars in search of the exotic world of Islam.

September

The Hortus Botanicus has an Arabic theme in 2013, linking up with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Chair of Arabic Language and Culture at Leiden University. You can make acquaintance with the plants from the Arabian Nights in the Hortus. A special route has been set out to take you past plants from Arabian poems and plants mentioned in the ancient Pharmacopeia Dioscorides. You can also discover herbs and ingredients from Arabic cuisine in the Arabic garden, which has been specially created for this exhibition.

21 September

Farida and The Iraqi Maqam Ensembleconcert

Leiden University and Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde are proud and honoured to present a concert by the legendary Farida and The Iraqi Maqam Ensemble on Saturday 21 September at 15.00 hrs."The Iraqi singer Farida Mohammad Ali [...] is one of only a handful of artists to have mastered the ancient musical discipline of maqam – a lifetime's pursuit, as the singer must develop not only a command of complex melodies and scales but also the scripture and philosophy behind them..."

August 2013

August

The Hortus Botanicus has an Arabic theme in 2013, linking up with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Chair of Arabic Language and Culture at Leiden University. You can make acquaintance with the plants from the Arabian Nights in the Hortus. A special route has been set out to take you past plants from Arabian poems and plants mentioned in the ancient Pharmacopeia Dioscorides. You can also discover herbs and ingredients from Arabic cuisine in the Arabic garden, which has been specially created for this exhibition.

31 August

Arabic cuisine blind taste test for children

Children have a unbelievable gastronomic fearlessness. Kids are happy, healthy eaters as long as you intrigue them by telling stories about the food's origin and history.The Hortus Botanicus hosts a blind taste test for children presented by Marjolein de Vlaam. Marjolein is the author of 'Wereldeters', an educational cookbook for kids and their parents.The workshop will be in Dutch but non-Dutch speaking children can certainly participate.

7 August

Violets as a hangover cureHortus Botanicus Wednesday evening lecture

Remke Kruk, Professor Emeritus of Arabic language and culture will lecture on plants and herbs in (ancient) Arabic literature.Lecture is in DutchDate: Wednesday 7 AugustStart: 20.15 hrsLocation: Hortus Botanicus, LeidenRegistration is recommended. Please use this form

1 August

Iftar - Breaking of the fast mealLeiden University

Sheherazade, the student organisation of Leiden University's Middle Eastern studies, organizes its first iftar on Thursday evening, August 1.Iftar is the meal that breaks the day of fasting during Ramadan, when Muslim families and communities eat together after sunset. Iftar is taken right after Maghrib time, which is around sunset. Traditionally but not mandatory, three dates are eaten to break the fast in emulation of the Prophet Muhammad, who broke his fast in this manner. Many Muslims believe that feeding someone iftar as a form of charity is very rewarding and that such was practiced by the Prophet Muhammad.

Sheherazade invites everyone to attend the iftar, no matter what religion, nationality, etc. As long as you are interested in witnessing and sharing the iftar 'experience' you are more than welcome.

July 2013

July

The Hortus Botanicus has an Arabic theme in 2013, linking up with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Chair of Arabic Language and Culture at Leiden University. You can make acquaintance with the plants from the Arabian Nights in the Hortus. A special route has been set out to take you past plants from Arabian poems and plants mentioned in the ancient Pharmacopeia Dioscorides. You can also discover herbs and ingredients from Arabic cuisine in the Arabic garden, which has been specially created for this exhibition.

31 July

Gerda van Uffelen, collection manager at the Leiden Hortus Botanicus will tell you everything you always wanted to know about some of the items in the 'Plants of 1001 Nights' exhibition , but were afraid to ask.

Lecture is in DutchDate: Wednesday 31 JulyStart: 20.15 hrsLocation: Hortus Botanicus, LeidenRegistration is recommended. Please use this form

10 July

Guided tour 'Tastes from the Middle East'Botanical Garden Leiden

Humans have been collecting honey for over 8.000 years and used it for purposes beyond food preparation.The people from the ancient Middle East used it for embalming the dead or in other religious or medical contexts. But most of all, honey was and still, is used as a sweetener in the kitchen. For centuries now, it is a much used and loved ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine.The Hortus Botanicus's beekeeper will guide you along plants much favored by bees and will explain something about the honey-making process. After the tour there will be a honey-tasting.

June 2013

June

The Hortus Botanicus has an Arabic theme in 2013, linking up with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Chair of Arabic Language and Culture at Leiden University. You can make acquaintance with the plants from the Arabian Nights in the Hortus. A special route has been set out to take you past plants from Arabian poems and plants mentioned in the ancient Pharmacopeia Dioscorides. You can also discover herbs and ingredients from Arabic cuisine in the Arabic garden, which has been specially created for this exhibition.

May 2013

26 May

The Hortus Botanicus has an Arabic theme in 2013, linking up with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Chair of Arabic Language and Culture at Leiden University. You can make acquaintance with the plants from the Arabian Nights in the Hortus. A special route has been set out to take you past plants from Arabian poems and plants mentioned in the ancient Pharmacopeia Dioscorides. You can also discover herbs and ingredients from Arabic cuisine in the Arabic garden, which has been specially created for this exhibition.

25 May

During the annual Museum Night on Saturday 25 May, you can get a taste of Middle Eastern astronomy, cuisine, music, belly dancing and more at Leiden's Observatory and Botanical Garden.

In the medieval period, scientists in the Islamic world made many contributions to the field of astronomy. While their work was based on ancient sources from Greece, Iran, and India, they updated methods for measuring and calculating the movement of heavenly bodies, and continued to develop models of the universe and the movements of the planets within it.Dr. Rob van Gent (Utrecht University) introduces you to these groundbreaking methods at the best location possible: the historic Leiden Observatory (Sterrewacht)

The Botanical Garden lets you savor Middle Eastern snacks or smoke an Arabian water pipe in perfect '1001 Nights' surroundings. For the more active among you: you can walk through the garden set around the theme of '1001 Nights' and there will be belly dance demonstrations and an actual workshop.

12 May

Preview plants '1001 nights'guided walk through the Botanical Garden

The Hortus Botanicus Leiden gives you a preview of the Botanical Garden's inspiration for 2013: '1001nights' Collection manager Gerda van Uffelenintroduces you to plants in the Arabic Garden mentioned in Arabic poetry and the Pharmacopeia Dioscorides. Gerda also presents you to herbs and ingredients from Arabic cuisine in the Arabic garden, which has been specially created for this exhibition

April 2013

7 april

Poetry afternoona sample of this summer's Arabic Culture Market

'400 years of Arabic' will be present at the Leids Dichtersgilde's Poetry Afternoon on 7 April.Ali Rida Rizek (a graduate student at the American University of Beirut and a visiting student and teacher of Arabic Lanuage at Leiden University for the academic year 2012-2013) and Petra Sijpesteijn (professor of Arabic Language and Culture) will bring you original and translated Arabic poetry.

1 March

A Revolution in Progress: The Case of Egypt

On Friday 1 March LUCIS will organise a special event about the current political situation in Egypt. A panel consisting of academics, journalists, and analysts will discuss the recent past and potential future of Egypt.

March

Turcksche BouckenThe Oriental Collection of Levinius Warner

Cover of exhibition
catalogue
Turcksche Boucken

For the first time in a great many years, a magnificent collection of Oriental manuscripts is on public display in 'Turksche Boucken'. This exhibition is a collaboration project between Leiden University and Museum Meermanno, and is on display from 16 December 2012 until 3 March 2013.

In Turcksche boucken (‘Turkish Books’), Museum Meermanno follows Levinus Warner’s career as a book collector, from his student days in Leiden until his untimely death in Istanbul in 1665. This diplomat was assigned to represent Dutch interests at the court of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1655. Fascinated by the languages and cultures of the Middle East, he built up an enormous collection of manuscripts, bequeathing it on his death to the University of Leiden, where he had studied Oriental languages.

February 2013

February

Turcksche BouckenThe Oriental Collection of Levinus Warner

Cover of exhibition
catalogue
Turcksche Boucken

For the first time in a great many years, a magnificent collection of Oriental manuscripts is on public display in 'Turksche Boucken'. This exhibition is a collaboration project between Leiden University and Museum Meermanno, and is on display from 16 December 2012 until 3 March 2013.

In Turcksche boucken (‘Turkish Books’), Museum Meermanno follows Levinus Warner’s career as a book collector, from his student days in Leiden until his untimely death in Istanbul in 1665. This diplomat was assigned to represent Dutch interests at the court of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1655. Fascinated by the languages and cultures of the Middle East, he built up an enormous collection of manuscripts, bequeathing it on his death to the University of Leiden, where he had studied Oriental languages.

9 February

Controversial Figures in Islamic Historycolloquium and book launch

statue of Ibn Hazm

Leiden University and Brill Publishers are happy to invite you to spend a day with 'Controversial Figures in Islamic History' on Saturday 9 February 2013

The day will start of with a colloquium that will discuss 4 controversial characters in the history of Islam, followed by the launch of ' Ibn Hazm of Cordoba: The Life and Works of a Controversial Thinker' a new volume in the Brill Series 'Handbook of Oriental Studies'.

8 February

Honorary Doctorate to Professors Crone and Cook

At Leiden University's Dies Natalis, a Honorary Doctorate will be conferred on Professor Patricia Crone, Andrew W. Mellon professor of Islamic History at the School of Historical Studies of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, and Professor Michael Cook, Class of 1943 university professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University.

4 February

The Wisdom of the Arabslectureby Petra Sijpesteijn(Leiden University)

To celebrate the memorable fact of the 400th anniversary of the Chair of Arabic Language and Culture at Leiden University the Executive Board has the pleasure to invite you to the lecture The Wisdom of the Arabs: Four Hundred Years of Cross-Cultural Engagement by Professor Petra Sijpesteijn.